The present invention relates to a hand-held power tool and, more particularly, to a hand-held power tool capable of polishing operations with a readily adjustable handle assembly that permits an operator to ergonomically adjust handle positions to enhance control and coverage of the tool during operation.
Typically, power tools, such as polishers or waxers, for use on delicate work surfaces of varying conto tours, including exterior car finishes, tend to lack a structure for effective and precise operator control and maneuverability during operation on the surface. Such power tools commonly include a motor that drives a working element, such as a polishing or waxing pad, in an orbital path for engagement with the work surface. To prevent damage to the work surface, it is important that an operator be able to precisely guide the working element over the work surface and to simultaneously control the pressure with which the working element is applied to the work surface. For instance, if the tool is used with too much pressure, such as by not being able to control and prevent the entire weight of the tool from being applied to the working element and, consequently, the work surface, the finish on the work surface can be easily damaged or even ruined. On the other hand, too little application pressure will tend to result in the surface finish not being polished properly or in an increase in operation time to accomplish the desired finish.
The vibratory response associated with polishing with the working element under orbital motion further complicates the polishing operations. It has been found that such response felt by operators using orbital motion is significantly greater than that associated with other non-orbital type tools. Thus, the structure of the power tool must take into consideration this response.
To increase efficiency, it is also desirable that an operator be able cover a relatively large area on the work surface, while at the same time maintaining control over the application pressure and path of the tool during operation. This is usually accomplished by either relocating to a different location relative to the work surface or by extending one""s arms over and about the work surface. The latter technique is used most often when polishing remote areas that cannot be accessed by simply relocating, such as when polishing central areas of an automobile, e.g., central areas of the hood, roof and trunk. As mentioned above, experience, however, has taught that accuracy and precision is sacrificed when operating the tool with one""s arms extended because of the increased vibrational response from orbital motion.
To enhance control and expand the reach of these tools from a single location and otherwise, it is known to provide a right angle tool with a barrel type handle that extends from the rear of the tool perpendicular to the orbital path of the working element. While the tool can be operated by gripping the barrel handle only, experience has revealed that another handle forward of the barrel handle is preferred so that the operator is able to grip the barrel handle with one hand and the other handle with the other hand. The barrel handle provides increased control over the tool""s path of operation, and the forward handle aids in controlling the application pressure to the work surface. Without the forward handle, there tends to be, in many instances, an uncomfortable amount of force applied to the hand, wrist and arm gripping the barrel handle. Thus, the combination of handles provides for maximum precision control of the application pressure while allowing the barrel handle to be used to steer the tool.
One known shortcoming associated with these multiple handle arrangements, however, is the inability to maximize the utility of the barrel grip handle. While the barrel handle provides increased control and reach, operators, as mentioned above, find that it is still necessary to grip the forward handle during operations, especially on delicate work surfaces, for complete control to avoid damage. This, however, effectively limits the range of area operators can reach with the tool from a single location because they must also extend their arms to reach the forward handle.
Moreover, it is desirable that the forward handle be adjustable to maximize reach and ergonomical control on varying surface contours and orientations. Many of these forward handle however, are fixed and, therefore, cannot be adjusted to provide this reach and control. As a result, operators contort their body into uncomfortable and compromising positions to compensate for the limitation of fixed forward handles during operation and are open to an increased potential for injury. Furthermore, the work surface also is exposed to a higher potential for damage.
Some power tools include adjustable forward handles which are released for movement and tightened down for operation by way of a bolt and nut combination. The nut is loosened to free the handle for adjustment and then is tightened to lock the position. This type of adjustment system is not easily controlled by the operator and results in undue work stoppage. It is desired to have a system that can be quickly adjusted and done so without tools and/or having to manually loosen and tighten nuts and bolts.
Thus, the present invention is directed to providing an adjustable handle assembly for use with hand-held power tools that can be easily adjusted without prolonged work stoppage to allow an operator to effectively and accurately control the working element over relatively large working areas and varying surface contours in an efficient, comfortable and safe manner.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable handle assembly for use with a hand-held power tool, such as a polisher, to enhance control and coverage while operating on delicate surfaces of varying contours and orientations. The handle assembly includes a handle mounted to a housing of the tool in a manner that facilitates easy and quick adjustment of the handle between various predetermined positions relative to the housing. As a result, the operator is able to adjust the handle depending on the contour and orientation of the surface without tools or prolonged work stoppage.
The handle assembly includes lock members on one of the handle and the housing and lock receiving grooves on the other of the handle and housing which can cooperate with the lock members to fix the handle in one of the predetermined positions relative to the housing. For quick adjustment, the handle assembly includes a lock manually movable by an operator between a locking position in which the lock members are urged into the grooves to lock the handle relative to the housing and a release position in which the lock members are free to move from the grooves, thereby allowing the handle to be adjusted relative to the housing between the predetermined positions. The predetermined positions to which the handle is adjustable include at least a flat position where the handle extends substantially perpendicular to a first direction extending along a longitudinal axis through the housing and aligned with the orbital path axis and an upright position where the handle extends substantially in the first direction.
The handle assembly also includes a cam means located between the lock and the handle to urge the lock members into the locking position with the grooves. The cam means may include cooperating cam surfaces on the lock and the handle. In manually moving the lock to the locking position, the lock cam surface cams against the handle cam surface to urge the lock members into the grooves with a biasing force sufficient to lock the handle. On the other hand, in manually moving the lock to the released position, the lock cam surfaces cam against the handle cam surface in the opposite direction to remove the biasing force from the lock members to allow adjustment of the handle. The use of the cam means to lock and release the handle allows the lock members to be controlled without turning screws or bolts to hold the locked position secure. Advantageously, the lock on the handle assembly is easily controlled by the operator without tools or prolonged work stoppage.
The lock members may be urged into the grooves in a first direction with the lock in the locking position and the lock members may cam out from the grooves and move in a second direction transverse to the first direction as the handle is adjusted with the lock in the release position. The first direction may be linear and the second direction may be angular. The lock members and lock receiving grooves may also include cam surfaces which cooperate to allow the lock members to cam out of the grooves as the handle is adjusted with the lock in the release position.
The adjustable handle assembly may include a guide between the handle and the housing for defining movement of the handle relative to the housing as the handle is being adjusted between the predetermined positions. The guide may include a stop for limiting movement of the handle relative to the housing.
The handle assembly also may include an elongated retention member to attach the handle to the housing. The lock is moved along the member by the cam means when shifting between the locking and release positions.
In another form of the present invention, an orbital polisher has a housing and a motor therein for driving a polishing pad in an orbital path below the housing. The polisher further includes a rear handle extending rearwardly from the housing and a front adjustable bail handle extending from and around the housing forwardly of the rear handle to assists a user in controlling the tool with the pad in rubbing engagement with a surface to be polished.
A locking mechanism cooperates between the front bail handle and the housing for selectively locking the bail handle in one of a plurality of predetermined positions about the housing. A lock operator movable along the bail handle by a user actuates the locking mechanism to either selectively lock the bail handle in one of the plurality of predetermined positions about the housing or release the bail handle for adjustment about the housing. The bail handle attaches to two surfaces of the housing, and the control of the locking mechanism through the lock operator locks the bail handle at each surface. The lock operator enables the user to quickly adjust one handle without turning of any nuts and bolts and by prolonged work stoppage. The bail handle, however, may be adapted to lock the handle at only one of the surfaces.
The polisher also may include an arcuate guide on one of the housing and bail handle and an arcuate recess on the other of the housing and bail handle. The guide and recess cooperate to guide the bail handle through at least about 90xc2x0 of movement for adjustment about the housing. The arcuate guide may extend less than about 180xc2x0 and the arcuate recess may extend more than about 180xc2x0 to allow the guide to move in the recess as the handle is adjusted.
The bail handle also may include an actuator receiving portion and the lock operator may include an operator lever and an actuator knob connected to the lever. The actuator knob is located in the actuator receiving portion of the bail handle and the lever projects there-from. Pivoting of the lever to rotate the actuator knob causes the knob to move along the bail handle in the actuator receiving portion to actuate the locking mechanism.
The knob and the actuator receiving portion of the bail handle also may include cooperating cam surfaces. Pivoting of the lever by the user to a lock position causes the cam surface on the knob to cam against the cam surface on the bail handle to move the knob along the bail handle in the actuator receiving portion away from the locking mechanism to urge the bail handle towards the housing for selectively locking the bail handle in one of the plurality of predetermined positions about the housing.
The locking mechanism of the polisher also may be provided with locking teeth on one of the bail handle and the housing and grooves in the other of the bail handle and the housing. The lock operator is capable of actuating the teeth to seat tightly in corresponding grooves for locking the bail handle about the housing. The locking mechanism also may include locking teeth and grooves that have cooperating cam surfaces wherein, when the lock operator actuates the locking mechanism to release the bail handle, adjustment of the bail handle causes the teeth cam surfaces to cam against the groove cam surfaces with the teeth moving out of the grooves and over adjacent grooves to another of the plurality of predetermined positions about the housing.
In an even further form of the present invention, a power tool includes a housing having a top, bottom, front and back and a longitudinal tool axis in the housing extending in a first direction through the housing top and bottom intermediate the front and back thereof. A rear handle extends out rearwardly from the back of the housing substantially perpendicularly to the first direction. A bail handle having an interior chamber extends around the front of the housing and is adjustable to at least a flat position extending substantially perpendicular to the first direction and an upright position extending substantially in the first direction. The tool further includes a bail handle lock which is at least partially located in the interior chamber and is manually operable by a user to lock the bail handle in at least the flat and upright positions about the housing.
The bail handle of the power tool may also include rear portions rotatably connected adjacent the back of the housing, side portions extending from the rear portions and a front lateral portion extending between the side portions and spaced from the rear portions. The bail handle front portion is adjustable from in front of the housing with the bail handle in the flat position to over the top of the housing with the bail handle in the upright position by rotating the handle rear portions relative to the housing.
The bail handle also may include rear portions of the bail handle having one of a plurality of teeth and grooves and the housing adjacent the back thereof having the other of the plurality of teeth and grooves. The bail handle lock causes the teeth to seat tightly in the grooves for locking of the bail handle or to release the teeth from in the grooves to allow movement of the teeth out of and over the grooves for rotating of the bail handle rear portions and adjustment of the bail handle about the housing.
The bail handle lock also may be located at one of the bail handle rear portions. When the lock is moved to a lock position, it pushes the rear portions towards the housing causing the teeth to seat tightly in the corresponding grooves, and when the lock is moved to an unlocked position, it allows movement of the teeth out of and over the grooves for adjusting the handle.